Axel and the Ship of Fools
by NakanoHana
Summary: Adventures abound on the high seas, as Axel captains a great pirate ship in search of freedom and profit. But just when the waters seem calm, his net catches something that may be a little too big for him to handle. 'Don't rock the boat, baby' R&R pleaz
1. Chapter 1

It was a calm, cool day at sea; unusual for the summertime. The winds were favorable that day, and the waves rolled lazily in the afternoon sun, rocking the ship in a light, smooth motion as it sailed onward towards the horizon. All around was nothing but blue, blue, and more blue...

The pirate crew of Somnium Lunae struggled to keep themselves busy on deck, but boredom still abounded. Several men sat near the galley, patching the sails that had been torn from their last battle, while others grabbed their fishing nets and dropped the anchor. It wasn't much, but at least they found something useful to do. The supply of food was running a little short as of recently, so they tossed the nets in and watched the water carefully, waiting for the shadow of a school of fish or something that could hold them until they hit the next town.

As everyone was either working intently or lazing about sleeping, no one seemed to care that someone was rolling a barrel or two of good rum up from the storage room, looking for a good drink to pass the time.

"Oi, Demyx! Quit lazing around over there and help us crack these beauties open!"

A young man with dirty blonde hair looked up from his place leaning over the ship. At age 22, he was probably the youngest and most unlikely-looking first mate ever to sail on a pirate ship. But what he lacked in years and wisdom, he made up for in spirit, keeping the crew's morale high when times were rough and keeping them in line when the captain was occupied.

He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out and looking irritably at the older blonde leaning on the barrel behind him.

"Geez, Luxord, you know we're not supposed to get plastered this early in the day! We gotta stay in prime condition in case there's a prize to take!"

He laughed heartily. "Says the man sleep on his ass up on deck. Come on, Zexion hasn't seen a single damn thing anywhere all day! If somethin shows up, I can take em on just as well drunk as sober! Now come over here and get a drink, man! It's not everyday the seas are calm enough to walk on!"

Demyx sighed, grinning as he got up and stretched. "Fine, you win. Not like there's much else to do around here anyways. Lemme go see if the captain wants some too..."

"Don't take long, or it'll be gone!"

The blonde first mate strode across the long deck, slow and sure as he breathed in the salty sea air. The rest of the crew was scattered about the deck, sleeping just as he had been. He almost wished there was a cargo ship to take, or even another pirate ship to attack. The calm was all well and good, for a while, but too much of it led to boredom and laziness, and, on a ship on the run constantly in the middle of the ocean, that was never a good thing.

He'd heard a few stories about mutinies spreading like plagues around the pirate towns. Greed and unrest among the crew members could cause a nasty scuffle; even some of the better captains he'd met in the last few years had been left to die at sea while their crews fought amongst themselves and eventually killed each other with battles and starvation. It was a shame, really, but at least there was less competition when taking down merchant ships.

But this epidemic, disturbing as it was, didn't seem to plague this crew, and everyone knew that a lot of it had to do with their captain. He kept things going, so there was never nothing to do for very long...

The blonde reached the cabin and pulled the door open instantly. Most men would have knocked out of respect for the man's privacy, but the captain was his best friend, and unless there was a need for it, he didn't like being overly formal.

"Axel? You're not still pouring over those old maps, are you? Come on outside! It's a gorgeous day, and we're cracking open some good rum to pass the time!"

The man looked up from the sheets and maps littering his desk, raising a small red eyebrow as his first mate approached, as hyper as usual.

"Isn't it a little early for you to be going it at, Dem? We only have so much of that stuff left, and the faster you drink it, it'll be gone in no time. Then what am I supposed to do when the rest of the men want a drink? I'm not made of munny, you know..."

Demyx slung his arm over the captain's shoulder, smiling.

"We're not gonna drink it all! Just enough for Luxord to get good and crazy! You know he's funny as hell when he's drunk, and all we really need is some good entertainment! There's nothing going on..."

Axel smirked. It was true; the old blonde was an interesting drunk. He had the reputation of being a fierce gambler, and somehow, he always seemed to play better when he was hammered. He'd even get up on the tables when he won to dance and sing, or sometimes he'd do that at dinner too, if he was 'in the mood...'

Sure, he looked like a damned fool, but the whole crew loved to watch him make an ass of himself.

"I guess that's fine. Maybe I'll come out later to see it, when he's had enough. Right now, I have to finish this quickly..." He looked back down at his desk and began making marks across the map.

Demyx watched him curiously for a minute. He leaned over and squinted, unable to make sense of the weird markings.

"What'cha been doing in here all this time?"

The redhead didn't look up; he just kept scribbling.

"I'm charting the course we'll be taking for the next month or so. There a major shipping route between Celais and Daone...it would take us about two or three weeks to get close enough. But a lot of large cargo ships pass through their on their way to the other colonies, and that's what we're going after."

His first mate blinked. "But isn't the security over there pretty tight? How are we going to take a ship of that size and get away without being caught?"

Axel smirked again, patting him on the shoulder. "You just leave that little detail to me. I learned a few good tricks from when Saix was still around. We just need to be patient and pull this off exactly right, and we'll have enough money and supplies to last us a while!"

Demyx laughed. He didn't think patience was Axel's style, really, but he was always chalk full of good ideas. He was considered a little young to be a captain at the age of 25, but he'd inherited the ship from the previous captain, Saix, and the wise old sea dog hadn't picked him for nothing. He was a little eccentric sometimes, but he was cunning, strong, and loyal; a man that all of the crew had come to know and respect.

Suddenly, the door to the cabin burst open, and in ran Zexion, looking shocked and almost out of breath. Axel jumped to his feet and he and Demyx ran to the grey-haired man's side instantly, each putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"What's wrong, Zexion?"

He took in a few more breaths before looking up, meeting Axel's gaze.

"The men who were fishing just brought up their nets, sir, and you're not going to believe what they caught!"

The captain slapped his face with a palm, groaning. "Zexion, you're supposed to be on lookout! Couldn't they have sent someone else to tell me about some dumb fish they caught?"

The man shook his head. "No, really, Captain! Everyone's down there gawking at it, and I mean everyone! It's the strangest thing I've ever seen! And I've seen a lot of strange things before!"

Axel sighed. His chief lookout was usually a calm, reserved man who kept to himself and his books religiously. There had to be something interesting going on if he was this riled up...

"Alright, show me where it is."

The man smiled, having finally caught his breath. He turned and raced back out the door, leading the captain and his first mate towards the large crowd forming on the lower part of the deck.

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The entire crew was crowded around on the deck, whispering and staring intently at the net that hung slightly above their heads. As Axel came closer, he could hear low murmurs from some of them.

"Whatever it is, it's huge!"

"It looks mean, maybe we should just throw it back?"

Finally reaching the back of the group, he cleared his throat, and the crew turned to look at him, standing at full attention.

"Captain!"

"Alright, you lazy sons of bitches! What're you gawking at now?"

No one answered his question, still not quite sure if what they were seeing was real, but they moved aside to allow him through, with Demyx right at his heels. Before him was the net with a large pile of fish hanging a little up off the deck, choking out their dying breaths in the harsh sunlight. But it wasn't the fish that caught his attention.

Big, fierce, and amazingly blue eyes glared out at him from the net, and he could see something thrashing around in side, struggling and clawing at ropes that held it up. It was a little hard to tell exactly what it was from where he stood, but the sudden flash of a large, shimmering tail fin peaked his curiosity.

"Someone get over here and cut the net down! Let's get a better look at our catch, shall we?"

The man closest to Axel nodded and hurriedly began loosening the knots that held the net suspended above them. After a minute or so, he finally got them free, and the entire thing crashed down and on to the deck, spilling flopping fish and seaweed everywhere. Axel and the other men gaped when the thing they'd been staring at was now completely visible.

It looked human, at least from the waist up. He was a young boy with the prettiest golden hair Axel had ever seen, as it spiked up in various directions on his head. His torso was short and a little thin, but the finely toned muscles on his chest and arms were unmistakable. His lower half consisted of a long, scaly fishtail that matched the color of his eyes perfectly. And even as he breathed harshly and struggled to sit himself up on the deck, those eyes were locked on Axel, glaring as if he were looking at the devil himself.

Several men were shaking their heads in disbelief.

"Is it really...?"

"Don't ask me! I thought they were just old wives tales!"

"Good God..."

Axel took a minute to take the sight in completely before he combed a hand through his hair casually, his look of shock quickly replaced with one of smugness. Demyx stood beside him, looking at the fish-boy curiously.

"Never seen a fish like that before...Do ya think we can eat it?"

The boy hissed quietly, slapping his tail harder against the deck. It was as if he was daring Demyx to try it.

The captain shook his head and gave his first mate a much-deserved punch in the arm. "Demyx! That's no way to treat a guest..." He strode forward until he was right in front of the boy, kneeling down to be at eye level with him.

"You don't have to be scared, kid," he said, smirking as he patted the boy's head softly. It felt soft, just like any human's hair. "I'm Axel, Captain of Somnium Lunae, and you are my lucky guest today!"

The boy said nothing, still glaring him down and panting slightly, probably from not being in the water. Or so Axel guessed. The boy took a swipe at the hand patting his head, but the redhead was quicker, pulling it back and laughing as the blonde's eyes narrowed further.

"Nice try. You sure are a lively one, aren't you?" Leaning closer, he asked, "What's your name?"

The blonde said nothing, keeping defiantly silent. Then, without warning, he lunged forward and spat hard in Axel's face. The redhead jerked back suddenly, scowling. He wasn't expecting that attack.

"Why you little brat!" One of the burlier crew members grabbed the boy roughly under his arms, holding him up and away slightly to avoid being hit. The blonde struggled violently, thrashing in the man's arms and trying to knock him over.

"Xaldin, be careful!" Another crewman shouted, coming up beside him to help."Watch out for his tail; that thing's hard as a rock!"

Axel stood up and wiped the spit from his eye, growling a little. If he wasn't feeling so generous today, he could have cut the impudent blonde up faster than fresh sushi. But he stayed his hand and calmed down. There was no reason for this to bother him the way it did...

His cocky smirk soon returned, and he casually strode over to the thrashing boy, who seemed to be exhausting himself. Axel was sure he wouldn't be fighting back much longer.

The fight never diminished in his eyes though, and they locked back on Axel angrily as the man got up close.

The redhead reached out and grabbed the boy's chin roughly. He ignored the growling and thrashing and forced the boy to look him in the eyes. He kept his voice was calm but firm; gently chiding.

"That wasn't very polite, now was it? Guests on my ship better be well-behaved if they don't want to end up on the menu, got that?"

There was no reply but that fierce glare, but something told Axel that the boy could understand him. He wasn't sure how, but he felt it...

"Good. Now, maybe we can get a long a little better. It's not everyday I catch one of the legendary Mer-People. But I guess you're not so legendary after all, if you're dumb enough to get caught in a slow-moving fishing net in the middle of the ocean." He laughed as several of the men joined in, finally over their initial shock. The struggling blonde blushed furiously, and Axel was more than sure that he could understand them. Did that mean he could speak too?

"What's wrong, kid?" he asked, chuckling and patting the blond's cheek. He ignored the flinch and responding deathly glare. "Shark got your tongue?"

Everyone was laughing now, watching as their captain enjoyed messing with the Mer-Boy. The blond was blushing red as a tomato and looking like he wanted to kill them all, which he probably did. But they let the captain have his fun. Axel liked getting a rise out of people and pushing their buttons; it was one of his favorite games.

Demyx stepped forward, still laughing. "What are you gonna do with him, Axel? Keep him as a pet? I bet he'd sell for a high price in any town we stop in."

The boy shook his head vigorously as he continued to thrash. But the captain saw something else in there, subtly hiding in his gaze. It was fear; barely hidden panic as he waited for these strangers to do with him as they would. The blonde was glaring defiantly in the face of what he probably thought was death, but underneath it all, Axel could see he was still a boy; a young one at that, and that boy was very frightened...

Axel's smirk never wavered, but his eyes softened a little. In some place deep in is heart, he felt a bit of pity stirring for this thing; this boy he'd caught. He leaned down and cupped the boy's chin more gently this time, still ignoring when the boy hissed and tried to pull away. Axel tilted it slightly to the side, examining, as if he were a prized racehorse or some rare bird of prey. The redhead hummed softly as he did so, as if lost in thought, but the only thing he was lost in were those lovely eyes...

"Nah, I think I'll keep him for now. If I don't like him, I can always toss him back or sell him later." He pinched the blonde's cheek affectionately. The boy squirmed at that, but his arms were held firmly behind him, completely useless. "And besides," Axel chirped, "look at him! He's so cute! It'd be a shame to let such a prize go!"

Axel turned back to the crew and began walking across the ship. He snapped his fingers casually.

"Bring him to my cabin. I'm grabbing a snack from the galley, then I'll be right up."

"Yes, sir!"

The crew dispersed back to their original places, talking excitedly about the amazing discovery. The Mer-People of ancient fairytales actually existed, and the proof just dropped itself onto their very deck! Maybe, if they could convince the captain to sell him, they could make a slightly more honest fortune and be set for the rest of their lives!

Demyx stayed back to watch as Xaldin called another tall, somewhat burly man named Lexaeus over to help him carry the boy. He looked much more subdued now; his eyes cloudy and distant as he gazed out at the sea beyond the railing. Demyx began to wonder if he could speak, because he hadn't said anything this entire time, not even to object to his staying there. He'd just given in...

The captain's door slammed shut behind them, and the first mate sighed heavily. He decided he would go to rejoin Luxord and that heaping case of rum. There was no point in wondering what would happen now; things would happen when they would, and he couldn't do anything about it. He'd just watch and see how it would all play out.


	2. Chapter 2

Axel sighed heavily, snatching a couple of apples from the barrel and shoving them in his pockets. The galley was quiet for the most part, with only the occasional clashing of pans and buzzing of flies to break up his thoughts. But his eyes were narrowing at the small, flickering bulb swung back and forth above him as the ship swayed on the water. Grunting in annoyance, Axel reached up and grabbed the bulb, holding it in place for a second or two...

"It's never going to stop, you know."

The redhead smirked, letting go of the burning bulb as he turned around. With his unnaturally warm body temperature, he barely registered the stinging sensation in his fingers at all.

"I'll never know how you put up with this damn annoying thing, Marluxia! But I'm just passing through to grab a snack..."

The pink-haired man smiled as he strode over to the sink, opening a few drawers as he searched around.

"You really ought to eating more than just apples, _Captain_. You look like a stick-figure with a bad case of bed-head."

Axel laughed, leaning back against the doorframe casually. "Hey, that hurts, man. You know me better than that. I'm just not as hungry these days."

In the shadows of the room, he could see the cook pulling out a large fish from one of the barrels and bring it onto the cutting board.

"Is it the kid keeping you up?"

He sighed. The man knew him all too well.

Marluxia had joined the crew many years before he had; he was an old friend of Saix's, and rumored to be the best cook this ship had ever seen. Axel had disliked him initially, thinking him too cocky and smooth for his own good. But by the time he was appointed Saix's successor, Axel found that the man had grown on him, and he soon became a reliable friend whose advice he really valued.

Marluxia was a master of observation; he always seemed to know what was eating people, a skill he supposedly picked up working a tavern just south of the Black Cape. That was apparently a place where strange people gathered, hoping to make a fortune off the rare black soil and sand for which the place was named, so the man had a lot of people to practice on. He was also the go-to person for any gossip roaming the ship.

"It's that obvious, huh?"

There was a low chuckle, and a steady slicing sound.

"The dark circles under your eyes are atrocious. That, and the rats have been eating more of your portions than you do."

Axel smirked, watching as Marluxia cut the fish into even portions while simultaneously grabbing a pan hanging overhead and setting it on the stove.

"The kid's a mean fighter, that's for sure. If he had legs, he'd be perfect for the boarding squad." But it _was _getting a bit annoying now, he had to admit. The boy did everything he could to disturb the captain's peace; splashing water on his desk and ruining his papers, thrashing loudly for random intervals, etc.

And, most annoying of all, those piercing eyes glared at him all hours of the day. Even at night, when he rolled over to fall asleep, he could feel those orbs burning into his back. Sometimes, he dreamed of those eyes; as blue and cold as the deepest ocean, yet so bright and burning like liquid fire...

It would take a firm patience to tame that wild fire inside him, but Axel was slowly running out of that...

"Have you tried feeding him? Maybe he'd calm down then."

Axel shook his head, sighing. "Not like I'm not trying. He won't touch anything that's been in my hand, or anyone else's for that matter!" He paused for a minute, considering something. "You think he only eats fish?"

Marluxia chuckled again, scooping up the bits of fish and slapping them into the pan. It sizzled lightly in the heat.

"I might wait a while before trying something like that...Might be equivalent to cannibalism in his book."

Axel blinked before he broke out laughing. "Then what the hell _would _he eat?"

"It's a big ocean out there, Axel. The world beneath us is made up of more than just fish."

The redhead hummed a little, scratching his cheek absently. He'd never thought much about what was under the surface; ever since he was a boy, he just wanted to sail far away and see new and exciting worlds. The ocean was beautiful, but in the end, it was just a means to escape. Anything was fine, as long as it took him far away from that hellhole he called home.

"I guess you're right. One of these days, I'll have to ask him what he eats..."

The pink-haired cook raised an eyebrow as he began rummaging in his spice cabinet. "I know nothing can stop you once you start on one of your little 'pet-projects,' but have you ever considered that maybe he actually _can't _speak?"

Axel grinned, waving as he turned to go.

"He's _partially _human, Marluxia. That's got to count for something. Besides, I have a couple of ideas on how to pry those tight lips of his open." With that, the captain left, closing the door firmly behind him.

Marluxia smiled to himself as he added some vegetables to the mix sizzling on the stove. Axel really _did _look like a mess, and managing a vessel like this left very little downtime for him to catch up on his rest. He must have really taken an interest in the boy...

Oh well. It wasn't _his _business anyways. And there was still plenty to do before dinner would be ready for that night...

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Axel strode casually into his cabin, hoping to see what his unusual guest was up to. The room was quiet and bright, as large rays of sunlight streamed through the window and spread over every inch of the floor. A medium-sized metal tub sat near the far corner of the room by his desk, where the little blonde sat brooding, just as he had been the last few days.

The Mer-boy's hair sparkled beautifully in the summer sun, but otherwise, he looked more ragged than Axel did. He was noticeably thinner and paler than when they'd first brought him in, and he slumped against the tub as the man approached, glaring weakly.

Axel sighed, stopping a few feet away. "How long are you going to keep this up, kid? I don't know what you're feeling, but you look like shit. And the longer you keep this up, the more _I _feel like shit!"

The boy snorted and turned away, refusing to look at him. Resisting the rising urge to throttle him, the redhead decided to change his approach, a gentle smile playing at his lips. He sat down in the chair nearest the tub, pulling an apple from his pocket.

"Come on, Blondie. You must be hungry..."

The boy looked back, still shooting him the look. But under the indignant spark, Axel could see a little curiosity peaking in those bright blue orbs. And though he wouldn't admit it, the blonde looked ravenous even as he shifted weakly in the tub, eyes following the apple in his hand.

The redhead chuckled, waving the fruit back and forth teasingly.

"It's just an apple, kid. You know, human food's got some pretty good stuff for the most part. You should give it a chance..."

Axel leaned a little closer, holding the apple out to him in the palm of his hand. The boy blinked, confused for a minute, before his eyes narrowed. He'd apparently given up on starving himself, for now he watched the redhead warily as he moved slowly closer to the food held out waiting for him. A few minutes later, having deemed it safe enough, the blonde snatched it out of his hand and sat back, inspecting it nervously.

Axel grinned, pulling the other apple out and taking a bite. The boy really _was_ like a wild animal, in the way that he moved and took in the world around him. But like humans, he seemed to be able to process and learn quickly, at least figuring out basic things and what they were used for after some time. But Axel found himself wishing that he at least had _some_ people skills. The small, unfriendly exchanges between them were starting to get old...

The boy turned his apple over in his hands, running his fingers along its smooth surface curiously. Axel sat back in his chair as quietly as possible, hoping not to scare him away from the first solid food he'd accepted in a week. But the redhead couldn't stifle a laugh when the boy sniffed it and hesitantly stuck out his tongue.

"The skin doesn't taste like much, in my opinion. It's what's underneath that's really good!"

Trying to make a point, he took another bite as the blonde watched him, mirroring with his own fruit. The boy munched on it for a couple seconds, looking a little unsure, but then his face suddenly changed, his lips twitching up into what almost looked like a genuine smile. He took another bite, sighing silently in contentment at the refreshing sweetness. Or maybe he was just _that _desperate for food, Axel wasn't sure.

The redhead smirked. "See, it's not going to hurt you. Green apples are a little on the sour side, but I like the extra bite when I have a craving for something sweet. Just go slowly at first, the sour taste might actually..." He stopped short, though, when he saw the boy scrunch up his face, his lips slightly puckered and eyes widened in surprise. He clearly hadn't been expecting it...

Axel threw back his head and laughed. It was the weirdest, but most adorable thing he'd ever seen! While he tried to calm himself down, the boy began pouting and blushing darkly, looking almost as annoyed as he did before. Axel got up and walked over to him, patting his head softly.

"I tried to warn you, kid," he managed in between breaths," But I'm not sorry about it. It serves you right for being a little brat this whole time..."

The blonde flinched slightly and continued to pout, but he made no move to swat his hand away. He just looked at the apple, cautiously taking another bite as his glance moved to the window. When he wasn't looking at Axel with the utmost loathing, the boy would sometimes stare out the window forlornly for hours, his eyes longing for the sea that he once called home.

Axel noticed this and sighed, moving until he was kneeling at eye level in front of the tub. He offered a small smile.

"Are you ever going to tell me your name? If you've got something you want to say, it might be easier if you just talked about it, you know?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow incredulously, and he sighed again. "It's your own fault for getting stuck. Now that you're here, I'd really get it from the men if I just let you go. I know you aren't really happy here, but until I figure out a good way to handle all of this, you're safest with me."

Axel wasn't surprised when his charge remained silent, looking thoroughly unconvinced. It was obvious that getting the boy to trust him wouldn't be easy, and he groaned thinking about all the other things he had to do on top of babysitting the Mer-boy. But, for some reason or another, he could honestly say he wanted to help him. The idea of being trapped in a unpleasant situation was all too familiar, though he was glad to say _that _part of his life was behind him...

At least the boy was eating now. He already looked a little better, and even though it wasn't by much, he seemed to brighten up a little bit now that something was firmly in his stomach. He really was adorable, and the redhead thought he'd look even more beautiful when he really smiled. But that would have to wait; the blonde still didn't look ready to drop his guard any time soon...

Axel grinned despite himself, knowing he'd made a good step forward. Now it was time to take a small step back, just for fun...

"Fine, don't tell me you're name. I'll just have to come up with a new one for you, seeing as you _are_ my pet."

That got the boy's attention. He snapped his head back to Axel, glaring murderously, while the redhead merely ignored him and mused with a couple of names. He liked calling him Blondie...

Axel toyed with a strand of his hair, lost in thought for a moment before the door opened and Demyx walked in. The older blonde practically bounced over to him, smiling widely.

"Hey, Ax! Luxord's at it again! Wanna come play him in a round of poker with all of us?"

The redhead laughed, shaking his head a little. "The man never gets the time of day right for this, does he? But I guess, if the work's all done, sure, I'll be right down..."

His first mate beamed, waving quickly in the Mer-boy's direction before he bounded back out the door again. After a minute of making sure his things were in order (he had store all of his work away in the filing cabinet, as he learned quickly that water and important documents don't mix), Axel walked back over to the boy and ruffled his hair playfully, smirking all the while.

"See you again soon, Blondie..." With that, he was out the door even before the boy had a chance to splash him. The blonde flicked his tail in annoyance and pouted, looking back out the window as the light blush spread across his face.

Now that he was alone, he attacked the remaining apple hungrily, barely savoring the sweet flavor at all.

'Damn cocky human bastard...'


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, guys! :) Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Went on a trip, got a job, and just plain didn't feel like writing, to make a long story short. But I had started on this chapter earlier, and dang it, I wanted to finish it! ^w^ I'll try updating more often, with my other stories as well, but I can't crank out stuff as much as I used to with 4 separate stories going at once and a more demanding job this summer. My own fault, yes, but writing is something I do for fun and if others like it, I love sharing with the world. It only boosts my self-esteem ^w^ Expect something more on the weekends, then you'll be surprised if I do it at other times.

Enjoy zis chapter! And thanks for the reviews so far!

* * *

Axel's eyes snapped open when he felt someone lightly shaking his shoulder. It was still dark in his room; the curtain was drawn, but he could tell it was sometime early morning. The person waking him was none other than his hyper first mate, but he could tell something was going on for the man to be _that_ worked up.

"Ugh...Dem?...What is it now?" He asked, barely above a whisper.

"Another ship's been spotted on the starboard side, Axel. Pirates. The crew's been itching for a good fight since Zexion spotted them..."

"How long-"

"About twenty minutes ago. They still haven't seen us. This is soo great! Finally we got something to do again!"

Axel couldn't help but smile. He leaned over and punched his first mate's shoulder playfully.

"Chill, Dem. Just make sure everyone's ready for the attack. I'll be out there to join you in a couple of minutes, okay?"

The blond pirate grinned widely, even as he rubbed the sore spot forming on his arm. He was practically bouncing back out the door.

"Alright. I'm getting up..."

The redhead grumbled a little as he sat up, shaking his unruly mane of hair to clear the sleep out. He wasn't a big fan of early raids, but it was better to take than be taken, and pirates were a ruthless bunch who jumped at the chance for free food and supplies. They hadn't been spotted yet, but they would be soon, and it was better that it wasn't _his _crew that was caught off guard...

Axel tossed his clothes on in a sleepy haze, listening to the pounding around on deck as the rest of the crew prepared for the attack. As he sat on the bed, fighting with the stubborn laces on his boots, he faintly became aware of a soft snoring somewhere in the room. Turning his gaze to the only other person in the room, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Well, I don't believe it..."

He got up from the bed and walked quietly over to the corner of the room, a soft smiling pulling at his lips. The little blond Mer-boy was leaning heavily against the side of the tub, resting with his head on the rim just a little above the water. He was snoring softly, looking almost peaceful as he slept.

Axel felt his heart warm a little at the charming scene before him. It was a miracle enough that the boy was actually sleeping, instead of pouting all night long or boring into him with those fierce blue orbs of his. But now he looked so...harmless like this. It was a nice change.

Slowly, Axel reached out a hand and placed it on the boy's pale cheek, gently enough so he wouldn't wake him.

His skin was baby soft, just as he'd noticed when they'd first caught the boy. He'd expected it to be a little more fishlike, being scaly or at least clammy. The redhead marveled at how soft and warm it was, as he watched the blond's chest rise and fall slowly beneath him, almost moving with the pull of the waves outside. Slowly the captain's hand slid up and he ran his fingers through the even softer blond spikes.

How could a young, adorable boy like this be so vicious and wild at the same time? Without that burning fire in his stare, he looked just like any other human teen at his age. Minus the tail, of course...

With a quick shake of his head, Axel snapped himself out of it. What was he doing right before the attack, drifting off like that? He pulled away slowly and shook his head, grinning. Time waits for no man, after all...

"I'll be back soon, Blondie..."

As the redhead left, he failed to notice the sleepy blue eyes that followed him out the door. The boy sat up and looked at the door blankly, still partially asleep and blinking hazily. Becoming slowly more awake, he touched his cheek softly where a strange sensation seemed to have lingered from his dream. It was very pleasant and warm somehow, whatever it was...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The deck was bustling with activity, as men scurried back and forth readying their positions. There was a slight fog on the water this morning, and that combined with the dim light of dawn gave them a nice little cloak as the ship trailed softly behind its prize.

"Captain."

Axel stood by the wheel of the ship, watching his crew diligently as they prepared for attack. The fiery redhead smirked back.

"What is it, Xaldin?"

"Sir, I was wondering if we should change the flags?"

Axel thought it over for a minute. They were sure to be spotted in mere minutes, with the fog clearing up slowly over the water. The other pirates would attack, regardless of their flag or colors, but if they used the special merchant flags they'd stolen from Kau Island, they were less likely to just be shot out of the water. Most pirates fought each other tooth and nail, either robbing the poorer ones blind or blasting and fleeing from the stronger ones.

And Somnium Lunae was not just any old crew...

"Set em up then. Oh, and tell Lexaeus to aim the cannons so that we don't sink the whole ship. Tell him to try to knock out the other cannons...oh, and the rudder if it's in range." Such a move would put the other pirates at a disadvantage, and Axel's crew could easily overrun the ship and steal their goods.

Xaldin nodded and took his leave, and Axel took a moment just to enjoy the calm before the storm. With any luck, the wind would be with them and they could catch the other ship in any attempts to flee. He could smell the salt and brine in the air, and breathed deeply.

This was the life of a pirate, going wherever you wanted and taking what you pleased. This was the life of a free man...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gunfire rang loudly in the air. Cannonballs exploded into the sides of the ships, tearing back and forth into the hulls. It looked more chaotic than it actually was; Axel knew perfectly well how to deal with lowlife scum like these guys...

The pirates had seen them moments after the flags were changed, and the ship sailed hard to port as if to ram them in the side. However, it stopped just short of the ship and its crew prepared to board, only for half of them to be knocked off their feet by the unexpected cannon blasts.

Merchant ships were not devoid of cannons, that was not what surprised them. They typically used the simple, old-fashioned ball variety, that still dealt great damage when fired but was limited overall in attacks. Such cannonballs were considered primitive, and many strived to make better, deadlier cannonballs to combat the new materials built into the ships.

One of the hidden pirate colonies had developed a larger and harder variety, one that most pirates now used out of common sense. They came with little spikes driven into the hard iron so that when they ripped through ships and wedged themselves tightly, they dealt more damage and then were almost impossible to remove without making bigger holes to sink the ship.

Somnium Lunae had a few holes like these; souvenirs from hard battles lost and won. But instead of trying to remove them from the ship completely, Saix had had the crew simply rebuild around some of them, even carving in some of the dates they were shot as the ship's own little piece of history. Axel even carved a few in his earlier days aboard the ship...

By the time the other pirates had figured out the trap, many of their cannons were blasted hard and the rudder had been severely damaged. Unable to turn, the other pirates swung aboard the ship, bringing their swords and pistols on belts or between teeth, hoping to at least get a good fight. If they succeeded, they would most likely kill the crew and take the ship as their own, and all the bragging rights that would go with it.

Axel slashed a pirate in the arm, sending him back howling as he held the bloody stump. He smirked, quickly wiping a little of the blood off on a dead pirate's shirt as he continued. He personally preferred using swords over guns in battle. Unlike guns, which would run out of bullets and then be useless except to maybe bash a few heads in, a good sword wouldn't lose its edge for a long time...

"Get back! I'm warning you!"

The captain spun around and almost burst out laughing at what he saw. Demyx was clinging to the ropes leading up to the crow's nest, a ways up off the ground and swinging an old cutlass wildly at several pirates crowded around the base. The blond looked to be enjoying himself, although in truth he wasn't much of a fighter. But he was sort of like the crew's mascot and resident idiot, so if he didn't fight some, the others would have nothing to laugh at...

"Hey, Ax! Mind giving me a hand over here?"

Axel smirked and ran forward with an uncanny burst of speed and energy. It was almost more of a dance than an actual fight, as he spun and slashed in every direction. Only the cries of pain and angered told him he'd hit a mark, and that guided him to press his swords further. In no time, a small circle of bodies lay around the base of the crow's nest.

"Thanks, Captain!" Demyx said, climbing down easily and setting himself on the ground. "Luxord said he was gonna stick with me and fight, but I think he snuck off for another drink in all this noise!"

The redhead patted him on the shoulder, grinning. "No sweat. But don't be so hard on the old geezer; we all know helping you fight is a lost cause..."

"Hey! That's harsh, man!"

Axel ignored his friend's pout. Demyx knew exactly how bad he was, and he was perfectly happy just being the captain's right hand man. He was good at plenty of other things...just not fighting...or strategy...or subtlety...

"Yeah, whatever. Let's fight them back to the wall! We can't let those guys get all the fun!"

Demyx nodded and grinned back, and the two charged at the attacking pirates fiercely, the captain's green eyes shining in blood lust and excitement.

The battle was taking longer than expected, however, and the other pirates had a few good, burly guys that could knock the weaker pirates, like Demyx, out of the way and halfway across the deck. Axel's men charged in groups, slashing in multiple places so that the men's defenses couldn't cover every spot.

As Axel was fighting, he heard a sudden cry from Demyx and snapped his head up. The blond pointed to his cabin door, and as he turned to look, his eyes widened in alarm and anger. Some of the men must have slipped into his room while he was preoccupied, most likely looking for treasure or blackmail, and under the door he could faintly see them in shadows of movement in the cabin. But that wasn't his biggest worry...

"Demyx!" he called back, "I'm going to go deal with them! Keep driving the others back to their ship and kill the ones you can't corner!"

His first mate nodded, returning to his comical sword-fight while Axel made a run for the stairs. He climbed them quickly and burst through the door to the cabin, glaring around inside for the intruders...

In such a short time, the room was a complete mess. His files had been torn open and rooted through; it would take him forever to order them all again! His ink and pen had been tossed carelessly to the floor and the drawers of his desk opened wide. All his tools and supplies littered the floor, and he kicked a few aside angrily to give him more room to walk.

Jerking his head to the corner of the room, Axel immediately found the cause of the disturbance. Several men were still in the room, about three or four total. All scrawny-looking guys, except for the last one who was checking his bed for any hidden valuables. The other three men had taken an interest in Axel's little guest, and were trying to hoist the squirming Mer-boy out of the tub, not avoiding his heavy flailing tail very well at all.

"What do you slimy bastards think you're doing? Get out now, and quit fucking around with my shit!"

The men's heads snapped to him. They glared and scoffed, quickly returning to their work. They pulled the little blond out of the tub and held him down while they bound his wrists tightly behind his back. Needless to say, he did not look very happy about that, but his glare did him little good as they slammed his face hard into the floor. He growled pitifully, thrashing harder.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY? AND PUT HIM BACK!"

Axel was practically fuming, about to charge forward when one of the men spoke up.

"Aw, shut your trap, red!"

While the others kept working to restrain the boy, the man who had been checking his bed swaggered over casually and eyed him. This one was tall and large, with a patch over his left eye and a crooked, yellow-toothed smile. His muscles bulged out of the thin material of his shirt, and he looked like he'd stayed in the sun longer than was healthy for any human being...

"Never woulda thought anyone could catch one of those things so easily." he mused, almost entirely to himself. "He'll be worth a fortune to the Expers Sensus if we bring him in alive..."

Axel blinked. "Expers Sensus? You're working for them?" That wasn't good.

Expers Sensus was the only group of pirates out there with a worse reputation than his own crew's. They had gained fame in recent years, based mostly off of bad rumors and dark tales. Some said that they were working in the shadows to monopolize more profits and valuable treasures, using weaker crews to take the fall with the navy. That they were the cruelest pirates ever to sail the seas; taking no prisoners, engaging in raids of even tourist ships, and destroying anyone who got in their way. There was even some rumors that the crew had delved into dark magic and science, for reasons still unknown...

"Answer me! What are you trying to do?"

The man spat, running a rough hand through his dirty blond mop of hair. He leaned down and grabbed the Mer-boy roughly, carelessly tossing the angry blond over his shoulder and smirking.

"Never you mind, red. We'll just be taking the lad and go on our way..."

He let out a harsh, strained laugh, taking another step towards Axel. The redhead just stared him down, holding his sword steady in clenched, white knuckles.

"You won't be getting far when you can't even turn your ship!" he scoffed, his glare seething with anger. He looked over slightly and instantly locked with wide blue eyes, as he tried to think of some advantage he could use over the burly man.

Said man only laughed again. "Guess we'll just have to kill you all and take your ship, then..." The other men joined in, snickering darkly as they pulled out their swords and knives.

"Funny, I was imagining the captain of Somnium Lunae to be a little more of a threat. I could break this twig in half and pick my teeth with 'im!"

"Go ahead and try it, meathead," Axel shot back, his cocky smirk specially in place to piss the other man off. "It'll be easy, right?"

The man smiled back darkly, dropping his cargo unceremoniously to the floor before leaping for Axel. His movements were faster than a man with that much weight probably could have, but the redheaded was quicker and more agile. The captain was not crushed under him as he fell, and instead the pirate smacked hard into the wood of the deck, sending several splinters cracking and flying in his wake.

"What was that about breaking me in half?" The redhead said casually, leaning on the side of the ship and looked purposely bored. "You're going to have to do better than that if you want to kill me."

The man growled, flashing his yellow teeth as they ground together. Before he could push himself up and lunge again, he felt the tip of a sword stick slightly into his right ear.

"If you try to kill someone, you have to really _want it_..._Mean it_..."

Axel emphasized by pressing the tip of the blade harder against the man's ear, calmly but quickly sticking it through. The man groaned and screamed, attempting to get up and grab at Axel's throat, but he only succeeded in pushing the blade in further. Axel jerked the blade back; his eyes narrowed and glowing dangerously.

The other men looked alarmed and furious, charging for him before he could strike again. But Axel pulled out his second sword and spun slightly, bending low to slice at one man's knees before rising up to slash another in the chest. In the barrage of attacks, he missed the burly man, who roughly cupped his bleeding ear with one hand, trying to drag the horrified-looking blond from the room...

Axel made short work of his assailants, smiling a little darkly as he wiped more blood off his blade-

"AXEL!"

The redhead's eye went wide as the voice rang in his ears. He snapped his head back away from the massacre, over to the door where the other pirate was trying to escape to. Axel felt his reaction time delaying quite a bit from the shock.

"You...you spoke..."

_He said my name?..._

But that was a victory to celebrate later. Axel charged back into action swinging his swords furiously, using that voice to drive him on. He jammed one into the door to keep it closed tightly, and then he went for the injured man's throat, slashing quickly and cleanly. The old pirate convulsed and his eyes went wide, but he dropped to the ground like a rock and sent the boy flying off his shoulder and straight into Axel.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold on-"

But he couldn't stop it. Axel managed to avoid being crushed by the burly man, but he was sent back into the floor, slamming his back hard as the little blond landed on top of him. He wasn't all that heavy, but the angle and momentum made him quite the little recking ball. That, and his tail probably weighed more than the rest of him combined.

"Ow..." The redhead grunted harshly as he sat up a little, wincing and rubbing his back with one hand.

_That hurt like a bitch..._

Another groan, like his own but much softer, brought his attention back down to the boy leaning heavily on his chest. Contact at this point couldn't be helped, so Axel just helped the little blond to sit up more, ignoring his little flinches as he did so.

"You okay, kid?" A quick check-up told him the boy was fine, but there were a couple dark bruises from where he was grabbed, and another on forming on his left cheek. For some reason he wasn't quite sure of, seeing those dark blemishes on the blond's pale skin made him angry. They just...didn't look right...

The redhead was satisfied enough though, so he then reached for his sword to cut the cords on his wrists. When the boy protested, shaking his head vehemently with wide eyes, Axel raised his hands, palm up, and spoke calmly.

"It's okay...Relax, kid...I'm not going to hurt you...Just, hold on a sec..."

He glanced around for a minute before spotting his letter opener on the floor nearby. He reached for it slowly, allowing the boy to watch his movements as carefully as he wished.

"It's okay," he said again, speaking softly and comfortingly as if to a a young, crying child. "You've seen this before, remember? I don't use this to hurt anyone..."

The blond blinked back at him, looking down at the small blade intently. The redhead continued.

"I'm just gonna cut you loose, okay? Now hold still..."

When he got no reply, Axel sighed and began sawing at the rope, paying attention so he wouldn't cut the boy by mistake. His charge merely looked away, lowering his eyes and making it hard to gauge his expression.

"I'm sorry if they scare you. But this is exactly what I was talking about, Blondie. This world is full of greedy, heartless bastards who are always looking to get what they want and make a quick buck. I know, I don't look that much better either, but I promise you, you're safe with me. I may be a damned sea dog, but I try not to hurt the people who don't deserve it, you know?"

"And at least I'm easier on the eyes than that guy!" He pointed to the fallen pirate, laughing a little to make light of the situation.

But the mood was beyond help, and Axel quickly gave up on cheering the boy up. They both sat still for a few minutes, as the boy rubbed his raw wrists awkwardly and Axel just sat quietly wondering what to do. He felt a little more awkward that the blond was leaning back against his chest, not completely relaxed but obviously wanting some form of comfort...

That was only human, even if he wasn't really _all_ human...

The redhead was surprised, however, when the boy turned around to face him. Axel froze instantly, transfixed in those bright blue eyes that swirled with both sadness and loneliness, that seemed to be calling desperately despite his instincts.

Little tears gathered in the corner of those eyes; the tough, wild mask was completely gone, showing how scared and vulnerable the little blond really felt. It was a little disturbing to say the least; Axel almost preferred the angry fire to that completely hopeless, pathetic look. But it called to him all the same, and he wished more than anything that he could protect him...

With little warning, the blond pitched forward and sobbed quietly into his shirt, clinging tightly as if he were a lifeline. The redhead jumped a little at first, not expecting the normally distant Mer-boy to be so needy and affectionate, but he slowly wrapped his arms around the boy and returned the embrace. It was warm and nice to him, but he felt a small pang of guilt when he felt small parts of his shirt stained by equally warm, wet tears...

Hoping not to spook the little blond, he ran his hands just as slowly over his back and sides, hoping to calm him down more. He moved them gently and carefully, drawing little circles with his palms over the soft skin.

The boy gasped softly, blushing a little red. He almost pulled away from the strange feeling spreading over his back, but Axel's arms held him tightly in place, leaving no room for escape. But it wasn't as if he could get away even if he was free, he remembered sadly. For all he knew, he might be trapped with these strange humans forever...

The tears began to flow to his cheeks, increasing the more he thought about it. But it was then that he noticed something about the hands gently rubbing his back. This feeling was similar to the one he'd felt that morning, he realized, and he had to admit that it actually felt good. Very good, like how his mother used to hold him as a child, whenever he had nightmares or just needed someone to make him feel better. He slowly relaxed into the gentle touch, closing his bleary eyes and resting fully against Axel now, marveling at how comfortable he felt around the older boy now.

_Maybe it's okay to stay here with him...For a little while maybe...Not like I do anything about it now anyway..._

Axel heard the cheers ring out behind the door, and he instantly guessed what was going on. His crew had beaten the other pirates back, and now the ship was theirs to loot and plunder. He smiled to himself, still comforting the Mer-boy. He sighed a little internally, thinking about all this mess that had to be cleaned up at some point...

The fluffy, blond head raised and blinked curiously at the door as well, and Axel grinned wider as he reached out and ruffled the unsuspecting boy's hair. The Mer-boy turned back to face him, a diminished-looking pout on his face as he swatted the redhead's hand away, grumbling softly. Axel just laughed, and leaned in closer until he was practically in the younger boy's face. Said boy blinked at him nervously, trying to shy away a little from the awkward distance between them.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, Blondie. But the cat's out of the bag now, so I think it's time we _talked_..."


	4. Chapter 4

By popular demand, another chapter! I think I finally know where I want to go with this! Thanks for those of you who were patient with me TwT

* * *

The Mer-boy blinked again, his blue eyes growing wider with sudden realization and fear. Axel chuckled a little. That face was adorable on him, really. But now Axel had caught him good. There was no way he could pretend that he hadn't spoken; Axel had heard it loud and clear, even with all the noise around them. There was just no denying it.

He slid his hand under the blonde's pale chin and titled up, his green eyes glinting mischievously as they met with bright blue.

"Why are you so afraid?" he asked casually. Where was that bite from earlier? Where had that fierce, fiery little shark had disappeared to? "Come on," he coaxed softly with a smile, "You're already in a bind here. What harm would it do to talk to me?"

The blonde head lowered, hiding his eyes, and Axel was just about ready to make him talk. The boy was beating around the bush so much, like it was a huge deal, when really it was very simple. Why couldn't he just speak?

But then a soft, gentle tenor reached his ears.

"You wouldn't understand..."

The redhead was stunned. It was rumored for ages that Mer-people were beautiful in every way; in more ancient days, it was said that they lured sailors to their doom with sultry looks and magnificent voices. But sightings of the fish people these days were, of course, rare, and Axel would have scoffed at such tales before. Now, before him sat a Mer-boy in all his splendor, and it was like Axel was seeing him for the first time again. That voice was soft and beautiful...

"You're falling under the spell..."

Axel blinked a moment before shaking his head wildly, willing away his stupor. What had come over him? That voice...It seemed so simple, at first hearing...But it was soft and smooth. So fascinating. Hearing the boy speak again, he would have likened it to a melodic monotone, if there even was such a thing. If there wasn't, this boy would be the first...

_Good lord...What have I gotten into now?_

The captain attempted to shake it off some more, hoping it wasn't too noticeable. His mouth turned up at the corners into a playful smirk, and he adjusted himself so that he was on his knees beside the boy, watching him as he leaned back against the side of the metal tub and sighed. Axel took his hand gently, ignoring how the blonde flinched once again at the contact.

"And what spell would that be?"

The Mer-boy's tail flicked up slightly in annoyance. Narrowed blue eyes met his cocky gaze with growing disdain.

"It bewitches you. It happens every time...every time I speak..."

It was true. Once again, he was captivated by the sound of his voice. It was so strange; human and yet not at the same time. No human could possibly pull off that. Axel had to really focus this time to break away from the feeling, his mind distracted to the point where it was hard to think...

"You can't help it, can you?"

The blonde shook his head. "If I could help it, I would stop. My mother..." He paused briefly, before shaking his head more firmly and glaring at the human. "No...Perhaps you humans should control yourselves better, if you are so easily led astray..."

"Is this why you wouldn't speak before?"

"Of course!" the boy snapped back, and even then, Axel had to laugh. His voice was so strange and wonderful that even anger could not darken it. All that did was make him cuter.

"What, did you think I was scared?"

Axel smirked. "I never said that. You did."

A light blush spread over the Mer-boy's face, and he grimaced, idle hands rubbing slightly at his still raw wrists. "Of course I wasn't! You damn humans always think you're so great!" His head jerked away, pouting. "You're all just arrogant and stupid!"

Axel felt himself slowly getting used to the voice; somehow, over time, the effect was beginning to slowly taper off. It was still a beautiful voice, but it didn't make him want to drop everything he'd ever care about and dive into the sea just to follow him. The redhead moved to sit down on his backside, his head propped up on one hand on one knee as he studied the disgruntled Mer-boy before him. He could still hear Demyx and the others outside, but that could wait. He was much more interested in this now.

"So what are you exactly? Where do you come from?"

The blonde, who had still been ranting, albeit more quietly to himself, looked taken aback by the sudden questions.

"Y-You...The spell wore off?"

Axel nodded, and the boy shook his head. "So soon? B-But how can that be? I thought that..."

"You thought that what?"

The boy met his gaze and immediately sealed his lips, glaring at Axel defiantly.

The redhead didn't seem to mind that at all. He merely shrugged, smirking slightly. "Who knows? Maybe not all humans are as weak as you take us for."

What was once nervousness quickly became sputtering indignence, and the blonde was trying to look anywhere else but Axel's eyes, scowling irritably. The redhead pushed gently again. "What are you? What sort of spell did you put me under?"

"I don't have to tell you anything, human." There was a low, dangerous edge to that last word. A growl that sounded anything but human. Blue eyes met his again, and despite the threatening glare, Axel swore he could see triumph swirling in those depths. Childish triumph, a small pride that, despite his situation, he held even the tiniest trump over the redhead. Well, Axel would have to fix that...

He took hold of the boy's chin when he wasn't expecting it, and leaned in close until they were almost nose to nose.

"Fine. I suppose, if I want answers..." His thumb hooked lightly behind the boy's jaw as he spoke. "I'll just have to get them out another way."

Before the blonde could protest, Axel smashed their lips together quickly, leaving no room to pull away. The boy made a muffled, somewhat shrill sound of surprise and displeasure, but Axel didn't care. He moved his other hand to the base of the Mer-boy's neck, just below where his hair stopped, and held it firmly, ensuring he could not back away. Axel pressed deeper into the kiss, even daring to thrust his tongue in to explore that warm, foreign mouth...

Then, pain. He registered a sharp pain in his lip, like something was stabbing into it and latching on, refusing to let go. Odd, considering his tongue was only now retracting from the Mer-boy's mouth, and would have been the more logical target for attack. Axel's green eyes snapped open, and he found orbs burning with hatred staring back at him. The boy bit down hard on his lip with sharp teeth, slightly sharper than any man's canines. He was slowly increasing the pressure, and Axel was sure he could taste blood in his mouth already...

He tried to back away, but the boy held on. He was stubborn, refusing to give in when he had the captain trapped like a fish on a hook. Axel pushed against the boy's chest, hoping to separate them, before he then moved his hands up to his mouth, attempting to wrench it open and allow his lips to escape.

After a bit more struggling, the Mer-boy released him, and Axel stumbled back, panting heavily as he hit the floor. His lips stung terribly, and every time he raised a hand to brush the offended tissue, he would only find more dark blood as he pulled away. Casting a careful glance at the blonde in front of him, Axel was a little surprised to see him look so...hurt. Those eyes were hateful, damning, and fierce, but now they bore tears faintly in the corners, just waiting to burst forth. Blood was trailing down those once pale pink lips, and below the heaving chest Axel saw his hands clenching into lightly shaking fists.

The voice practically cracked with anger. "You...How dare you! You disgusting human! I hate you!"

Now, Axel was a smart, fair man, and always tried to maintain that as captain of his ship. But despite him, he was often subject to foul tempers, and a bad enough one could set him into a violent rage, striking out at whoever or whatever had managed to anger him so. Here, Axel realized he was not being addressed properly. He was the captain of this ship, and guest or not, this boy was being disrespectful. Spirited or not, the boy needed to be punished, or he would always think he could act this way to the captain of Somnium Lunae.

He got to his feet and loomed over the boy on the floor, offering his own narrowed glare in turn.

"How dare _you?_ How dare you speak to me that way? After I offered you my help? My protection?" He took a step forward then, purposefully. "All I asked for was your name. Is that so much to ask?"

The Mer-boy flinched back a little, intimidated but doing his best to hide it.

"It doesn't matter! Why won't you just let me go? Drop me overboard, and I'll never trouble you again!"

"I already told you I can't do that," Axel growled. "You have no idea what they would do if I just let you go."

"I DON'T CARE!" the blonde shrieked back. "I HATE YOU! YOU SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND DIE!"

Axel slapped his cheek, the one already bruising. Hard. The slap resounded loudly in the room, and the boy stopped short in his anger, freezing for a moment as he looked up at the captain. And instantly he knew he had gone too far. The man's eyes were cold and narrow, enough to make even the bravest men quiver in his boots. It was similar to the look he'd given that burly pirate earlier, upon skewering his ear. It spelled death for those that angered him, and the boy instantly shuddered under it...

"You should know your place, boy." Was all he said, as Axel turned and walked out the door. "I will decide how and when you leave this ship."

He left the Mer-boy, cold, shivering, and terrified on the floor. Without a word to stop him, he watched the captain leave and slam the door, before curling up on the wood and pulling his tail into his chest. Slowly, his shock melted away, and his shivering turned into soft sobs. He held his throbbing cheek, now purpling with the repeated abuse, and cried, not caring that the tears only dried him out more.

No one had ever touched him the way these humans so careless did. It was terrifying, but even more so when he realized he was completely at their mercy. They could continue to hurt him as much as they pleased, and the captain who had once seemed so patient and even kind had proved he was easily subject to anger. Who knew when the man would strike him again?

The boy curled further in on himself and sobbed until his voice was hoarse.

_I can't take this anymore...I want to go home..._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Axel rubbed his throbbing forehead in frustration. Apparently, the deck was no place to go for quiet thinking. Everyone was in high spirits after taking the other crew's ship; from where he stood on deck, Axel could see some of his men on board, looting for whatever they could find. Demyx soon came up to him, smiling that big, dumb smile of his and clapping him on the back firmly.

"We did it, Axel! The ship is ours!"

A small, tired smile tugged at his lips. "That's Captain to you."

"Right, _Captain,_" he joked back, not sensing the tension right away. He quickly noticed that something was bothering his friend though, when he remained silent afterwards. The redhead knew his face must have been displaying everything loud and clear.

Demyx looked at him curiously. "Hey, is something wrong?"

Axel shook his head and brushed the hand off his shoulder, still rubbing his temples with his other hand.

"It's nothing. Just tired." _Just dealing with a little pain-in-the-neck Merman, _he thought wearily. He offered Demyx a weak smile. "Good job holding off all those men on your own. I never thought I'd see the day."

The blonde waved off the compliment with a sheepish grin. "Aw, it was nothing, man. I just hope ol' Luxord was watching. He's always teasing me, saying I'm not a real man. I am! I can drink like one _and _fight like one, thank you very much!"

Axel chuckled, then decided he should head off to the galley. If he stayed up here to long, he'd be bombarded with congratulations and all the like, and he wasn't really in the mood for that. He'd been this close to getting the Mer-boy to reveal something about himself. All he'd really learned was that his voice seemed to waver in and out with magic power. That didn't help much, but it was a start. Where had he heard that before?

Now the boy was sure to be even more afraid of him. Axel sighed heavily. He couldn't understand how the Mer-boy could be so fierce and proud one minute, and then so timid the next.

_What, does he have a split personality or something? _Axel wouldn't have put it past him.

Ignoring his crew mates, Axel nodded and smiled absently up until he reached the door to the galley. It was dark inside, as usual, save for that one swinging lightbulb that always seemed to distract him. The room was pretty empty, too, but a quick check of the area told him Marluxia was back in.

"Trouble with the strike, Captain?"

Axel sat down on a barrel and sighed, before he looked up to see the pink-haired man once again at work behind his little station. The man paused and looked at him honestly, and Axel would have chuckled at the concern in his eyes. That probably wasn't befitting a fearsome pirate.

"Nope, just the boy again," he answered wearily, rubbing his aching temples. Really, the blonde was getting to be more trouble than he was worth.

"What's he done this time?"

Axel grumbled. "I made progress with him." Marluxia hummed his interest, and Axel continued. "I finally managed to get the little bugger to talk, and at first I thought he was cute, but he's just a little brat. He won't tell me anything about himself, only spouting hatred for me and every other human. I thought I was so close, but now he'll never talk to me again." He grabbed at his hair and growled slightly, frustrated to no end. Not just with the boy, but with himself as well.

Marluxia's eyes returned to his work, chopping up a few bits of something that Axel couldn't see.

"Are you so sure about that?"

"Yes! I lost my temper at him! You should have seen the fear in his eyes!" Axel groaned and smacked his fist against his forehead. "I shouldn't have done it, but he made me so angry. I can't take it back, and now he'll never talk to me again..."

"He was going to talk to you before?"

Axel nodded. "During the attack, he called me. He let go of whatever foolish pride he had and asked for my help. Even now, I feel like he needs me somehow...but I don't know what to do. All my progress with him was just thrown overboard. In the end, we both let our pride run away with us." The redhead sighed heavily. It all seemed hopeless now. If only he could just let the boy go...

The two stayed silent for a minute, as Axel stared at the wooden floor, like he hoped it held all the answers to his problems. Finally he decided he would ask Marluxia about the spell, knowing he was a firm man of the sea and heard plenty of rumors in his old profession.

"I did manage to find out that his voice has...magic in it. Did you ever hear anything about mer-people who could do that?"

Marluxia paused for a moment, tapping his chin lightly as he thought.

"I think that those were called Sirens, though it's been a while since I've heard anything about them. Perhaps he's a Siren?"

Axel shook his head. "If he was a full-fledged Siren, I'd be long gone now. Or steering the ship into a bed of rocks or something..."

The pink-haired man smiled. "You read too many stories, Axel."

The redhead grinned back. "Maybe...But maybe there's a book out there somewhere that can help. One that could tell me what I want to know, if he won't."

"Well, we were headed to Celais anyway, right?" Axel nodded. "The small island on the south side has quite an extensive library. Before we continue on the raid, perhaps you should stop there?"

"That might actually work." Axel was beginning to like this plan. But there was still time before they reached the shipping root. He could use that time to try and coax the stubborn boy out of his shell, especially now that he was talking. _One small victory at a time, Axel. One small victory at a time..._

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An hour later, Axel returned to his cabin. He couldn't hear any noises at all at first, and then, as he came further into the room, he began to hear shuffling and little breathy gasps. It sounded like someone was struggling...

He rushed over faster and found the blonde he had left, gripping the rim of the metal tub and leaning against it heavily, breathing hard. It looked like he was trying to hoist himself back into the water, but his arms were shaking terribly. Axel could see tear-stained on his cheeks, and knew that he'd probably been crying all this time.

_He must have dehydrated himself..._

Axel felt his still pent-up frustrations melting away slightly as he watched the pathetic efforts. Despite his earlier anger, he just couldn't stay mad at the Mer-boy for long.

Axel approached carefully, seeing the boy's eyes narrow slightly. He immediately saw the dark purple bruise on his cheek and felt guilty. There really had been no need for that at all, and now that would keep the blonde from trusting him as openly as he might have. Great...

He reached out a hand for one pale shoulder, but the boy flinched away, hissing.

"Don't touch me." The voice had deadly implications, but it was wavering fast, tired and dry and cracking with barely hidden fear.

"I'll do it myself. G-Go away."

Axel sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. There's no need to be so stubborn. You can barely lift yourself up."

The blonde shook his head and looked away, staring at the tub determinedly.

"I don't need some human's help..."

Axel sighed again, then moved so fast that the Mer-boy wasn't even able to see him, let alone stop him. The blonde let out a startled squeak as he was lifted bridal-style in the captain's arms. He immediately began to thrash and squirm, growling with apparent discomfort, and Axel winced as the massive tail hit him several times in the process. He was sure he'd have a deep bruise on his knee tomorrow; that tail was pretty powerful. But for now, he held onto the boy as firmly as he could, focusing everything on that.

"P-Put me down!" That beautiful voice was even more fearful now, and Axel sighed heavily, loosening his grip just so that it wouldn't bruise. He felt like he was coaxing a wild animal.

"Will you stop that? You're being silly."

The blonde's eyes narrowed at him more, and he gently amended, "I'm just trying to help. I won't hurt you, I promise."

The Mer-boy grumbled, but slowly stopped his thrashing. After a few minutes he seemed to relax almost completely, though he rested his elbow against Axel's chest and stared at it stubbornly, refusing to look at him. There was a light blush tinting his cheeks, and Axel had to work hard to suppress a chuckle. He set his mind solely on his task, carrying and then finally lowering the boy as gently as he could back into the tub. There was a splash of water and his sleeves were soaked, but he heard the boy sigh softly, content as the water flowed through his system. The blonde's breathing quickly returned to normal, and his skin seemed to lose some of its pallor. His tail splashed absently at the far end, before curling and resting on the edge.

The boy leaned back against the inside of the tub and looked up at him, quickly narrowing his eyes again. "Thanks, I guess...Now go away."

Axel just shook his head slightly, as he knelt down beside him on the floor. He noted the boy's silent surprise and the growing alarm in his eyes, and sighed. With calloused, but gentle hands, he reached out and cupped the boy's face in them, running his thumb lightly over the bruised cheek as he examined it. Blue eyes widened further and a small gasp escaped the boy, his voice becoming nervous again as Axel leaned closer, eyes examining the bruise intently.

"I-I said I'm fine! W-What are you...?"

The redhead leaned in and pressed a soft, quick kiss to his cheek. He looked back into stunned eyes apologetically, his own eyes sincere and tender.

"I'm sorry."

The Mer-boy stuttered for words for a moment, then huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He shot Axel a funny look. "You're strange..."

The redhead did chuckle at that. "Maybe I am...But in this world, you'd be considered the strange one..."

After another short silence, he reached forward and pulled the boy into a tender hug, much like earlier that day. The boy stiffened at first, and Axel was sure he would protest, but he ultimately did not. Slowly, the blonde unfolded his arms from his chest and, even more slowly, snaked them around the redhead's shoulders, until the palms reached his back. They gripped the fabric of his shirt more tightly, and the redhead was sure he felt the tiniest shiver, as the boy slowly relaxed in his arms.

Axel smiled, his gesture accepted. Somehow or other, he at least felt partially forgiven. Maybe he could make this work somehow. Now that he had the chance to learn more, he felt the Mer-boy was even more worth keeping. How could he not be? Getting past the hard scales and almost constant scowling, he was adorable! The redhead felt the strange desire to protect him, but he shook it off as just more enchantments clouding his head. Maybe he really was a Siren...

"Roxas..."

Axel pulled back slightly and looked at the blonde before him curiously.

"What was that?"

The boy frowned. "Don't make me repeat myself! You asked me what my name was before, and now I'm telling you! Roxas!"

Axel gaped for a second, before feeling himself cheering inside. Another small victory. He finally knew the boy's name! Although...

He smirked playfully, tapping the boy's nose with his finger, making him blink.

"Thanks...although I think I prefer Blondie. I'll stick with that."

Roxas was scowling heavily at him, but he didn't care.


	5. Chapter 5

The library building was huge, almost twice the size of his own ship. Axel strolled in casually, dressed in his street clothes he had chosen for the town. He had a special outfit set for almost any place he traveled to, so that he could fit in with the locals, at least well enough to not be any more suspicious looking than your common, everyday tourist. There was only so much he was willing to do about his hair, so he had it tied back in a tight ponytail, most of it hidden under a forest green hat. But even with all of that, he felt a few stares at his back as he entered, and made a mental note not to tarry long.

While the rest of the crew either watched the ship at its hidden location, or wandered about the town looking for supplies and cheap women, their captain was off at the library. It seemed like an odd thing for a pirate to do, looking at the breed of them in generality, but that was what made it so convincing. Strange as he may seem, with his vibrant hair and exceptional height, he slid behind shelves and corners easily, ignored by the patrons inside.

And if it looked huge on the outside...

The inside was truly massive. The town clearly made up for its small size and not very notable stature by bragging that they had one of the biggest and well-stocked libraries anywhere on the seas. It was said that in older days, men of all kinds would stop in here to rest on their journeys, and they would leave books they had found, or perhaps even personally-written journals, in the care of the library. Now, some did that with the hopes that one day, they might become a legend, and therefore their donations would mean something great in the future. But some, just scientists and scholars, would leave copies of their work here just for the good of the everyday man. The selections extended from mythical tales to facts and figures, and the island employed a few wizards who kept track of all the books and even updated them every now and again, when some new information made the old obsolete. It was quite a force they had working there. Axel even saw a few men that he could clearly identify as clerics, moving a few books to and fro in the air with simple, word commands...

It was amazing.

To think that a single island had this much wealth to it, yet still remained small, obscure, and for a great part of it, under-developed. Most people that moved here seemed to be families escaping the bustling life in Celais, or a few scattered fishermen. That, and a whole host of wizards. It seemed a shame to leave it this way, but perhaps people coming in and crowding the books would be a bit much. And Axel could well imagine that the people here liked the peaceful, quiet life it provided them. When so many other islands and towns had become huge centers for building and marketing, it was a little nice to find something so simple, he thought.

'_If only I'd grown up in a place like this...'_

Shaking that thought away, the redhead pulled his hat down a bit more and began looking for something. Something that might give him a clue to the rambunctious little merboy still stowed away on his ship. There had to be something here about sirens in this vast library, and he just wasn't patient enough to wait for the boy tell him himself. Knowing how stubborn he could be, Axel was sure it would take a while.

So he poured through several books. None of the non-fiction seemed to have anything to say on the subject, so after about a half an hour of search, and staying conscious of the time, he began looking through mythology books. Some general fiction. Most were just hand-me-down tales that sailors no doubt told their children to entertain them on stormy nights. Not a lot of concrete evidence to suggest that sirens were any more than that. And was there a difference between mermen and sirens?

Finally, he stumbled across a thick, heavy blue book, bound with roughly leather and with scrawl on the front that was so fine, he almost couldn't read it.

"Wonders of the Marine World," he read, though he was unable to read the name of the author. Shrugging, he flipped it open at the desk, and skimmed through it. It wasn't long before he came across a chapter he was interested in.

"_The Myth of Mermen. Creatures who bear a striking resemblance to man, but have been separate from them for more than a thousand years. Given the choice by the Gods, these beings chose the sea, as their fellow humans chose the land, and it was from that point that the two were split._ Huh..."

Axel took a swig of the water canteen he had brought with him, and continued, "_Humans returned to the sea for many years to come, but none could navigate its waters like the Merpeople. These beings alone knew the secrets of the depths, and guarded them jealously from man, who became angered. No longer seeing any kinship between them, humans began demanding to know the secrets of lost cities fallen beneath the waves, and sunken treasures beyond their wildest dreams. They greedily ensnared many merpeople, and murdered them in schools when the truth was not given to them. Since then, the undersea folk have become scattered, clinging to four major underwater kingdoms..." _Axel almost couldn't believe what he was reading. Who would know things like these? Had this person met with a merman willing to share the history? And how biased was that history?

"Enjoying your reading, young man?"

The young captain raised his eyes from the book to see a bent, kindly old woman smiling down at him. He gave her his nicest smile back.

"I am indeed, my lady. Do you know of this book?" he asked, raising it up, but careful not to lose the page.

The woman adjusted her glasses and leaned forward. "Can you read the title to me, son? I'm afraid my eyesight isn't what it used to be."

He did, and she chuckled. "Oh, that one. Yes, I believe I've read it before. The strangest man brought it in, too."

Axel blinked. "Do you remember who he was, or what he looked like?"

She glanced up at the domed ceiling thoughtfully. "I believe it was a young man with blue hair..."

That made his heart jolt. Saix? Had he been here?

"He said he hadn't written the book, the young fellow did," she continued. "Just dropping it off for a friend of his. I don't remember much else about him. Sorry."

Axel regained himself, smiling politely. "That's fine. Thank you." They talked for a while about the book. Apparently the woman was an old matron of the town who worked in the library in her spare time. She told him it made her feel useful, not being a bother to her grandchildren, who were off busy doing other things. She'd seen a great many people come in and out of this building, and could remember a surprising amount of detail about many of them, given her age. When asked about the book, she laughed it off as clearly an old sailor's tale, but Axel knew better. All the ones he had read so far were written differently; this one had charts of proportion, and many other details that made it at least look like a professional hand wrote it. Everything else seemed to check out about it, so why would it diverge from its subject path by talking about something make believe?

On the other hands, many people didn't believe in the Gods anymore. Only a few select, scattered religious groups even prayed to them anymore; most people didn't buy into the theories.

"Enjoy the book, dear, but I wouldn't take it too seriously," the woman warned, though she said it jovially. Axel bid her an earnest farewell, and as soon as she had turned a corner, was delving back into the book so much that his nose was almost pressed to the page. Would it be possible to take this book?...He doubted it. With the magics used to put together this library, he wouldn't have been surprised to find a seal or spell of some sort that would alert the librarians, or even send the book up n flames the second he tried to take it outside. Still, he took out a pen and a small scrap of paper from his pocket, and took down as many details as he thought to be important. He just hoped it would all fit.

_"Merpeople and sirens have been associated with one another for many years. The sirens were originally thought to be bird women, who sang on rocks out at sea and lured sailors to their doom. That, my good readers, is the myth. There is a special class of Merpoeple known as the 'Sirens,' both male and female Merpeople who could bewitch both men and sea creatures to do as they bid. 'Sirens' have been considered royalty by other Merpeople, for both tangible and intangible reasons. 'Sirens' are noticeably more attractive to the eye; their skin colors, more often than not, resemble human skin tones, unlike other Merpeople, who are most commonly found with green or blue-tinted skin. 'Sirens' tails are usually made of softer materials, and are therefore more vulnerable than others of their kind." _Axel blinked at that. Roxas's scales were heavy and hard as a rock. But then, the book said 'usually.' "_Sirens have voices that can bewitch and entrance, and the effect cannot be stopped by the siren, nor does the effect on humans and other creatures go away..."_

"Huh...that's strange." Axel found himself slowly getting used to the sound of Roxas's voice, lovely as it may be by itself. But this sounded almost correct, so perhaps the boy was only half-siren?

"_In times of low population," _he found, "_Sirens may mate with those of lower status, and create hybrids. But these are rare cases, and never has it been known for a Siren to mate with anything else..."_

"Anything else?" he wondered aloud. What did that mean?

Finally, he shook his head and kept reading. These were things he could as Roxas when the timing was better...

Checking the time, Axel winced. he had to meet up with the crew soon, or else he would be late planning for the raid that night. With heavy reluctance, Axel slammed the book closed, and replaced all the ones he had picked out back in their proper places. This was probably the last time he would see this place, at least for a while; after the scale of the attack he was planning, it probably wouldn't be safe coming anywhere near this place again for a long time. But the book would be here. And for the meantime, he had another direct source he could use to find information. It only required Roxas to trust him, and he was sure that in time, the boy would. All too easily...

He grinned to himself as he left the building. Oh, yes; Roxas would trust him. He may very well love him soon, if the redhead's plan ever got off the ground.

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On the way back to the shore, Axel noticed a few people whispering, and distinctly looking in his direction. How they might have an idea who he was was strange; he did try his best to cover up his tattoos as well. But regardless, he hurried on his way back to the ship. Finding a secluded part of the shore, he saw that the little boat he had taken out there was gone. Probably taken back by his crew. Growling to himself, he made sure his hair was tied tightly and dove into the cold surf, intent to swim all the way back and chew out the first man he saw...

"Sorry, captain. The boys were complaining about the sun. Said they wanted to come back."

Axel just glared as Xaldin shrugged at him. The sun was not a legitimate complaint, seeing as how the faced the blazing son beating down on them everyday at sea.

"I ought to whip every last one of you," he sneered, snapping his head to glare as one man sniggered. The younger man abruptly stopped, and went back to his work. Axel nodded curtly his way. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

The man nodded, and the captain never felt so brushed off in his life. He was prepared to really punish the men for leaving him there, but he was too tired at the moment. Really, this could wait, and he needed a drink and some time in his cabin before he could get enough energy in him to address the men about the raid. They could wait. Everything could wait.

The swim had been far, and he needed a break...

Giving Xaldin a reprimanding slap on the arm, he turned and strolled up the deck to his door. It was his surprise, then, when he noticed the door was open, and he heard a harsh laugh coming from inside.

"Hey boys, check this out! He hisses like a cat!"

Axel's eyes narrowed instantly, and he quickened his stride, vowing to kill Demyx for not guarding his cabin like he'd asked. That mullet-haired first mate of his was due for a flogging...along with the rest of his damn crew...

"Awww, the little fish boy's a pussy! What's next? You gonna meow for us?"

By the time Axel reached his office, he found the source of the commotion easily. One of his newer, rowdier men, Seifer, and a couple of his friends had snuck in there somehow, and we're harassing Roxas. The merboy was hissing violently, practically spitting, which DID remind Axel of an angry cat, as he thrashed and struck out at anything he could grab for. The pirates just laughed at him, and one of them kept sneaking behind the boy, jabbing at him here and there, which really seemed to piss Roxas off.

"Why doesn't the captain sell this thing?" the pirate Axel identified as Raijin sneered, grabbing the end of the boy's tail that stuck out from the tub. Roxas winced and began trying to wrestle the tail away from him. "He's worthless! He can't even talk, you know? Come on, fish, talk to us!"

Seifer rolled his eyes. "He's probably too stupid to talk. Seriously, I bet one of those aquariums would pay big money for this."

"Maybe the captain just needs to see the big picture, you know? Anyone asked him about the fish yet?"

Axel scowled at them from the doorway. "That's enough."

The other pirates jumped, looking at him with wide eyes, caught in the act. Roxas took the chance to jerk his tail out of the man's large hand and held it to him, almost preening the scales carefully. Seifer tried to laugh it off. "C-Captain."

"Who gave you permission to be in here?"

Raijin scratched his head. "No one. Heh. We just, you know, thought that..."

"Thought what?" Axel asked harshly, taking a step closer. "Unless you were sent to relay information, you are never to come to my cabin unannounced. I am sure I made this crystal clear the day you boys signed on."

"Oh...uh, yeah..." Raijin grabbed Seifer's arm and began pulling him towards the door, aware that Axel's eyes were following them the whole way. "We'll just go then. Sorry, sir."

And with that, they were out. The door slammed behind them, and Axel sighed. Leave the ship alone for one day, and the whole place is engulfed in chaos. No one on board pays attention to you. He turned back to Roxas, who shot him a distrustful glare.

"You okay, kid?"

"You said I was safe with you! SAFE, MY TAIL!" the boy shouted back, splashing some water onto the wooden floor. "EVERYDAY ABORAD THIS STUPID SHIP IS LIKE SPENDING AN ETERNITY IN HELL!"

"Oh, that breaks my heart, Blondie." The redhead walked over and dropped heavily into his chair, sighing. "Do you really hate it that much with me?"

When the boy didn't answer immediately, he wearily looked over to see the boy sitting quietly in the tub, most likely pouting. Axel smirked.

"I knew it. You like me, just admit it."

"I do not," the boy hissed stubbornly, and Axel saw that he was still feeling his tail, looking at it intently. "But what's the point of complaining so much? It gets me nowhere with you humans."

Axel rolled his eyes to the ceiling for a moment. Heaving another sigh, he shut his eyes and slid up out of his chair. Before Roxas even noticed him moving, he was crouched beside the tub at the far end, gently taking the tail from the boy's hand.

Roxas hissed a rather pathetic sounding, "Don't." But Axel was having none of that. He took the tip of the tail and looked it over, seeing a few of the scales looked cracked. Now, he'd seen this somewhere in the book...

"Your scales take at least a day before they can heal themselves, right?"

The blonde gaped at him. "Y-Yes...but, how did you-?"

Axel flashed him a half smirk. "I've done my research," was all he said. He then found his first aid kit and began gently wrapping the end, as carefully as he could, while Roxas just watched, surprised. He knew that the captain had a kind side, certainly, but the fact that he knew this was...

Roxas narrowed his eyes and watched him warily as he finished. "What are you up to?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" the redhead asked with faux innocence.

"You're being all nice to me, which says to me that you want something." Axel choked a little, chuckling at him. "That, and now you're acting like you know so much. I don't know how you know, but I don't trust you."

"Ah, but to survive, you need to trust me a little, Roxas." Axel reached out and patted his head, and as usually, the boy batted his hand away. He caught that thin wrist easily. "Besides, I want to know you. You're far too interesting."

Roxas blushed a little and tugged his hand away, crossing his arms with a soft huff of defeat. "Maybe. But you've got a lot to work on if you want me to trust you at all."

Axel's eyebrows raised slightly. "Oh? And how can I do that?"

The blonde paused, a growing frown creasing over his features.

"I...Give me some time to think about it. I have to think up my demands."

"Demands? And what makes you think you're in a position to demand anything?" the captain asked, humor clear in his voice.

"We need to exchange," Roxas said firmly. "I can't give you something for nothing. If you can give me something I ask for, or something that has equal value to my information, I'll tell you."

There was a short moment of silence as Axel thought about this. It wasn't a good idea to get too distracted from his other work, but he could perhaps humor the boy every now and again, if only to sate his own curiosity. What could the blonde possibly want from him, besides his freedom?

The redhead extended a hand to his captive. "Deal."

"In my world, we would shake tails, but seeing as you don't have one, and mine's a little tender...fine." Roxas took his hand and shook it a little too hard, but that suited them both fine. Axel smirked.

"Good."


	6. Chapter 6

Two nights later, off the starboard side of the ship, came an ample opportunity.

"It's a big one alright," Zexion muttered, turning the spy glass a little to the side out of habit. The captain and first mate stood by watching, the former bearing a sterner expression. But the gleam of excitement shone equally in both their eyes, as a dark shape in the distance slowly grew in size, almost big enough for unaided eyes to clearly discern. "Definitely a cargo."

Axel hummed softly in interest. "Any idea what's on it?" The reports he had attempted to gather were scattered and not very helpful. It had been a bit of a stretch to try and access them, because Celais had faced pirate attacks in the past. He'd read about it during his time at the library. The trade routes themselves were no great secrets, but messages between the city and the ships, or even between the ships themselves, were sent safely by mages. The most reliable ones money could afford.

And, luck for them, the city certainly had plenty of money.

Celais relied more heavily on magic than any other city or town in all the seas, which made it strong in some ways but weak in others. It would take fast movement, meticulous planning, and a knowledge of certain spells to match it.

"They've certainly done a good job hiding that, Captain." The lookout's voice spoke volumes about the dangerous nature of this venture. "From the design and size, I would say furs. I suspect there's gold in there somewhere, but definitely furs." Snapping the spy glass closed, the man turned and eyed his captain seriously. "Is that worth the risk, sir?"

The redhead snorted. "One would think not. But if we are to know whether or not my ideas work, we should test them out, should we not? Preferably on something easy, like this one?" That, and it was a common ploy for ships to slip under pirate watch masquerading as a fur or spice ship. As Saix had once shown him following a successful raid, sacks of furs or jars of spices could very well be hiding gold and jewels.

Demyx looked a little nervous.

"I don't know...I have a bad feeling about this."

Axel shot him a sideways, half-interested look. "Do you think it's boobied?"

"I'm not sure...I can't think of why they'd do it now, not right off the top of my head...hmmmm." The sandy-blonde first mate scratched idly. "I'm just thinking...maybe it's because of the festival?"

Zexion nodded. "Ah, yes. I've heard of it. The festival of life takes place this time every year, does it not?"

The Captain frowned. "Yes, but it's not a major festival, as I take it. There are no visiting ambassadors or traveling exhibits that would be of any value." Holidays were a big to-do on land. This particular festival celebrated nature, when the mages and people would gather and dance and sing, offering food and joyful displays to the guardian gods of the city. But as big as it was, it was no Queen Aihira Day, or Sea and Shore Festival.

Still...

"Might we hold off til the end of the week, Sir?" Demyx offered, just barely remembering the honorific in place of "Axel." The redhead smiled a bit at that. "Or at least until we can be sure?"

"I would have to agree with him, Captain," Zexion added, casually flipping some of the hair from his eyes. "It'd be the safest bet."

"Ah, but you forget," Axel murmured, wagging a finger at them very point-of-factly, "I promised this crew a good fight one of these nights. Bless there little black hearts, they'll think I've gone soft if I turn em down once more."

"Axel, as your friend, I would advise against this."

The Captain favored his lookout with a grin. "Sorry, boys. You know me." He turned and strode out the door.

"Can't resist the bloody thrill..."

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The crew was a bustle with excitement. A ship drifting just up the way, no doubt stocked with jewels and diamonds. Maybe a few throats to cut.

Axel saw them all as he walked, sharpening blades, changing the sails and checking them again. It was moments like this that got him feeling again. Alive, interested, and ready to kill something.

"Striking so soon? Does this mean I will have to seek another town for my floral delights?"

With a smirk, he slapped the cook's shoulder hard. "You still want more of those ugly flowers, Marluxia?"

"Hey, they are not ugly! They brighten up the mess, if you must know."

Axel chuckled. "I doubt the crew could care any less about their dining accomodations."

"You'd be surprised, Captain. But if nothing else, it makes me happy."

"And that's all I care about."

Leaving the pink haired man to his work, Axel crossed the ship to the port side and found Luxord asleep over a game of craps on a barrel top. With a smooth kick, Axel knocked the bucket out from under him, sending the man to the ground instantly.

"Hey! Who the hell dares wake a man when he's sleepin?"

Axel bent over him and raised an eyebrow.

"That'd be me. Now get your lazy ass up. The raid begins in 10 minutes."

With a quick "yes, sir," the older blonde sprang to his feet, just as Demyx rounded the mast and came up beside him.

"Axel, I really think we shouldn't do this."

"I understand Demyx, but sadly, it's already out of my hands. Boys?" Axel turned to the group of men scuttling back and forth across the deck. "What say we call this one off? Little Demy here has a sinking feeling."

Immediately there was a cry of protest.

"No way in hell!"

"Ah, you're full of it, you lily-livered bilgerat!"

"Send his pansy ass off the plank!" one man growled. "See if he gets a good, sinkin feeling!"

The blonde immediately waved placatingly. "Haha...ah, I was only kidding, guys. You know that, right? You wanna do it now, go ahead and do it now..." He backed away til the men scoffed and returned to their work. Axel sent his first mate a cold look.

"You've made your thoughts clear. Now begone. If you don't want to be a part of this, go to my quarters and keep my little blondie company."

"B-But, but Sir!-"

"Ah ah ah!" Axel wagged a finger at him. "What the captain says goes. So either spit shine that cutlass or get your ass up there and guard him. I don't want anymore mishaps with that damn Seifer, or anyone else."

The stuttering faded, and a dreary sigh replaced it. "Alright. Just...be on guard, okay?"

The Captain snorted, offended.

"I'm never off guard, swab. Now get going. I have some things to do."

Demyx scurried off, all too aware that he was not in the captain's good graces at the moment. Despite his position, he was still subject to scrutiny, and the captain called anyone "swab" or "swabbie" when he was clearly annoyed with them.

Axel drew out his spyglass and observed the other ship carefully. He heard the scuffling of wood behind him, and knew that the men were hunching, trying to hide their activity as much as possible should anyone from the ship be watching. They were closer now, and the ship it seemed was...turning?

"Luxord!" In a moment, the man was at his side. "They might have seen us. I think they're going to fire. Send Marluxia down to the canons. When we catch them at close range, you take Xaldin and get aboard. One of you take the wheel and steer them away from port, the other disable that rudder."

"And what about their captain, Sir?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "You're concern is with the wheel. If you can take him alive, do it. If not, you know what to do."

A wide, blood-thirsty grin split the blonde's face. "Yes Sir." And he was off.

Somehow, Axel figured he'd be witnessing a blood bath in all scenarios.

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Sure enough, the ship turned and began to fire at them. Somnium Lunae suffered several marks, and the whole ship shook with the force as each cannonball struck. One of the masts was damaged slightly in the chaos, but Axel still pressed on. When his ship finally pulled alongside the merchant ship, he could see the whites of terrified eyes, as the crew struggled to arm themselves with swords and even a few rifles.

He smirked. "Boys?"

"Yeah!" The pirate crew sprang forward, hopping or swinging over the side and engaging the men in combat. The clash of steel was heavy on the air, and the blood-curdling screams of those unfortunate loser began to ring.

"Axeeeeellll!"

The redhead scoffed, and turned back to his own ship as his first mate came running along. "What is it now, Demyx?"

"Y-Your fishboy bit me!"

"You probably earned it. Now either get back in there and watch him or-"

The captain never finished. Just then, a rogue bullet grazed his left side, tearing open the skin as another shot through his left leg. With a grunt and a stifled cry of pain, Axel staggered forward and just barely caught the side of the ship, where he stared into the eyes of an enemy sailor.

"You won't get away with this, you bastard!" And the man swung his sword down toward his head.

"Axel!"

Axel blocked it with his own cutlass, grunting at the force as he was made to use the side of the ship as his only support. Just as it seemed the other man was going to win, drawing a pistol from his pocket with his other hand, a flash of yellow blurred the Captain's vision momentarily.

_Clang! _Demyx through the other man off him, and called for one of the men. Luxord himself snuck up behind the disoriented sailor and neatly slit his throat, ending his struggles in one last cruel second.

"Get to the wheel!" Axel snarled, gripping his wounded side as Axel slung his arm over his shoulders. "Don't forget your job, swine."

"Yeah, yeah, got it." And Axel was being slowly and clumsily led away from the fight.

"I think this is why it was a bad idea," Demyx mumbled, more to himself than to his Captain. The redhead snorted, amused.

"It's a dangerous job, Demyx. All of us here are willing to take the bullet, sword, or the rope if we must. If that is the price of freedom."

His first mate dryly chuckled. As they struggled toward his quarters, the two maintained a steady silence between them, only broken as Demyx pushed open the door with a loud creak.

When they entered, a glaring blonde merman was there to greet them. His gaze swiftly changed to one of confusion, and maybe even a little worry, as Demyx lay the Captain on the ground. "I'll go get the first aid." He then narrowed his eyes at Roxas and pointed an accusing finger at him. "No biting, twerp." With that said, he scurried off.

Axel laughed. "Why did you go and bite him?"

Roxas shifted slightly in the tub, crossed his arms with a fresh pout. "I thought you were coming in, and then he showed up. He tried to touch me, so I retaliated."

The boy blushed and shrank a little lower in the tub as the Captain laughed again.

"Feisty as always, Roxy. Good job." Sitting up with great strain, he reached out and patted the merboy's head softly. No surprisingly, he suffered no bite.

Curious blue eyes peaked down at him, widening slightly as they fell on the spots of red on his side and leg.

"What happened to you?"

A small smile crossed Axel's face. Just as he was about to respond, the door slammed open, startling the two of them. Roxas shrank away, glaring as the blonde first mate returned with a small bow.

"I've called Vexen. He says I have to bring you down now." He slid behind the Captain and grasped him under the arms, slowly lifting.

"What about the operation?"

Demyx chuckled. "Oh, it's over now. Didn't you hear the cannons stop firing?"

Axel shook his head, not wanting to admit that the ringing in his ears had been drowning out most outside noise.

"The cargo is ours, but he have to beat it. Someone sent a message to the cost. They'll be sending help out soon enough."

"Having we started yet?"

Demyx shook his head. "We've, uh, been having a bit of trouble on deck."


	7. Chapter 7

As he was led slowly up the stairs and onto the deck, Axel heard shouting and laughing. The crew was gathered around in a circle on the port side, and they appeared to be jostling each other. Some were even waving their swords.

"Alright, you thieving bilgerats! What's the ruckus?" Most of the crew went silent, turning to face their captain. A few men were still shoving in to the center of the circle.

Luxord stepped out from the side of the crowd, grinning widely.

"Found a few stowaways on the boat, Sir. Females," he chuckled. "'Think it's bad luck to keep em aboard, but some of these lot think it'd be rude to waste this opportunity." A number of the men nudged each other and smirked knowingly.

"Aye, Sir. It's be a long time since we had a go," Seifer said, approaching them. "Cut us a break. We want to have some fun."

Demyx made a face at the idea, but if it perturbed Axel, the man didn't show it. He turned back to the general mob, motioning for Demyx to do the same.

"Make room." When some of them hesitated, he snapped. "Move you scum! That's an order!"

Demyx towed him through to the center, where the girl in question was waiting. As the folds of burly men around her parted, she jerked up the left sleeve of her shirt, hiding the pale skin of her shoulder. Axel saw that she was young; a dark-haired girl with a round face and familiar blue eyes...

"Want some? Come get some! Go on! I dare you!" The captain's attention snapped up, seeing the girl clinging to another young woman. This one looked to be in her early twenties; a blonde with slicked back hair and two strands that stood up like antenna. She and the other girl were dressed simply, although their clothing seemed wet and torn in places. The woman's eyes were an electric blue, narrowed and calculating. She looked right up at the captain without fear, and Axel saw the glint of a dagger in her hidden hand.

"There will be no need for that," he said simply, a trace of mocking in his tone. "Do you think you can fight this whole crew on your own?"

"Better to go down fighting than be subject to your sick whims!" The blonde replied, using her free arm to draw the smaller girl to her side. "I'd sooner throw myself to the sharks than go with scum like you!"

A chuckle startled its way out of Axel's throat, and with it came of flood of laughter from the crew. As the women looked on, one terrified, the other angry and confused, the captain cleared his throat. "You need not worry about me." After a pause, making it clear he would not elaborate, Axel continued. "I apologize for the rough welcome. My crew has been...lonely this past voyage." Several men chuckled, and the blonde woman tightened her hold on the other. "Have no fear. They'll not harm you."

"What?"

"You're daft, Captain!" Several groans preceded around the circle. Luxord cleared his throat over the rising hum.

"Sir, to keep these two on board is a curse. Should we not-"

"Shut it!" Demyx jumped a little as the shout echoed in his ear. Piercing green eyes cast over the crowd. They begrudgingly silenced, some choosing to leave the gathering altogether. "These two will not be touched. They'll get the brig until we find somewhere more suitable to dump them. End of story."

Luxord and Xaldin nodded, moving to grab them. The blonde stepped back and flashed the knife, but before she could lunge, Xaldin caught her arm and dealt a swift blow to her head. The dark-haired girl cried out as she fell to the floor, cowering back from the pirates until Axel motioned Demyx to move him forward. The other crew members slowly returned to their duties, muttering as they went.

"Don't worry," Axel said, as kindly as he could. Hurting women was not his way. It made him think too much on the past... "I promise I won't hurt you, so long as you won't talk."

The girl still looked nervous, but nodded, stooping to check on her friend. Almost as an afterthought, the captain asked, "What are your names?"

"X-Xion, Sir." She bowed her head shallowly, eyes everywhere but on her captor. "Larxene is my...my friend. We snuck onto that ship so that we could go to Dromida."

"Dromida?" That was halfway across the ocean. "Well, why did you not buy a ship for the journey?"

"W-We are poor, Sir," Xion said softly. "Neither of us could afford a suitable ship for that distance. So we took a chance and snuck aboard."

Axel nodded. It was a reasonable idea, he supposed. From their clothes, he guessed the women had little to spare. Merchant ships traveled to almost all parts of the world. This one hovering around Celias seemed a bit odd though. "Where are you from?"

"With all do respect, Sir, I'd rather not say."

"Oh?" Axel raised a thin eyebrow. "Well, I suppose it's of no consequence. I can't promise you an easy ticket to Dromida, but I can let you off as close as I can once our business is concluded." Xion looked curious but didn't press him about it. She was still amidst pirates, after all.

Xaldin hoisted the unconscious blonde into his arms and began walking off towards the brig. Xion looked dismayed, but stopped as Luxord took her arm.

"It's a formality, miss. You'll have to forgive me," Axel said matter-of-factly. "You two may stay together, but the cell bars are as far as you go. Food and blankets will be brought by later. For now, go with them. I'm going to retire to my cabin." With that, Demyx nodded and began helping back the way he had come. The girl nodded, allowing herself to be quietly led away.

"Shouldn't I be taking you down to Vexen?"

The redhead grimaced. "I'm tired. These wounds do not require much. If Vexen cannot carry what he needs up to my cabin, then I will seek him out in his lair. For right now, I want to rest."

Axel ignored the glares he received as he limped along. He was all too aware of his growing unpopularity with the crew; this had not been a step in the right direction. But he couldn't have done much else, besides throw the women overboard. Leaving them at the mercy of Seifer was the last thing he wanted to worry about. A man was nothing without his sense of morality, though he knew many pirates on this ship would disagree.

"Captain!" His head turned, only to find both Zexion and Marluxia briskly approaching from the lower deck.

"Report."

"You look like hell, Captain." Marluxia chuckled. "I'll seek out Vexen and help him bring whatever he needs up." The captain rolled his eyes as his cook left, turning back to the purple-haired man.

"The cargo was indeed fur. We found some considerable jewels, though. Gold, rubies, even a few emeralds." Axel perked up at that. Emeralds were quite rare, and sold particularly well in smaller towns. Surely then he could cheer up the crew by funding a night on the town.

"Good, good. Anything else?"

The man snorted slightly. "A few dusty old books. I've taken the liberty of confiscating them for you."

Axel grinned. "Of course. I trust you'll examine them thoroughly for me?"

Zexion smiled. "It'd be my honor, Captain."

They parted ways shortly after, and Axel began to feel extremely weary. The wound in his leg was particularly painful with all this movement, but he grit his teeth and bore with it. Demyx took him back and sat him in his chair, crossing his arms and giving him a stern look.

"Get back to your work, Demyx. And keep an eye on those girls." Axel had a feeling that one or two of his good men would be needed to guard the brig from now on. He was sure that, if no one else, Seifer would try to get in there sometime soon.

"Don't you move from that spot til Vexen gets here."

Axel chuckled, raising his hand. "Sailor's honor." He watched the blonde go before sinking down in the chair, hissing softly.

"Honor," a dry voice scoffed from the other side of the room. "As if you'd know a thing about that."

The redhead grinned weakly. "So harsh, Blondie. Kicking a man when he's down?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Please. You're a far cry from death. Also, in case you haven't noticed, I don't have anything to kick you with." Axel chuckled as he saw the blue fish tail swish in a short motion. Then he groaned and shifted in his chair, and the merboy looked up, curious. "You didn't tell me what happened up there."

"Oh, the usual. Bit of a scuffle. I got nicked by a few stray shots, but you're right. It's nothing to cry over." It _did_ hurt like hell, though. Axel was no medic, but he was also no stranger to pain and what it meant. The shot to his leg had missed most of the bone, but had no doubt nicked and fractured it a bit.

Roxas stared, transfixed, at his leg, seeing the blood there. Axel was almost sure he was in some kind of trance, because the minutes ticked on from there, and the merboy sat silently, staring a new hole in his bullet wound.

Then a thought struck the young captain. With some effort, he pulled himself from the chair and clumsily lugged it over to the tub. Roxas raised an eyebrow at the increased proximity, but his eyes widened as the wound came into clearer view. He said something softly that Axel couldn't decipher, but from the tone, he assumed it a curse.

A wet, cool hand pressed over the bullet hole and the redhead bit his lip, stifling a hiss. It would be worth it to stay still, though, if he learned something. Could the merboy be doing what he thought?

Unexpectedly, the blonde leaned forward and sealed his lips over the wound. Axel blinked and shifted uncomfortably as he felt a slight sucking pressure. It hurt a bit, but surprisingly did not bother him terribly. The hand returned to a different part of his leg, and Roxas seemed like he was bracing himself for a moment before his hand began to glow a faint blue.

"Ah." Axel watched, fascinated, as the boy's hand moved back and forth soothingly over the skin. He felt the trace of a tongue lapping at the blood for a moment, but the sucking did not stop until a few moments later, when Roxas pulled back with a faint popping sound. He then spat something into his other hand, and low and behold, it was a small, bloody bullet.

"How did you do that?" the redhead asked, gaping slightly. Roxas shrugged.

"My teacher never properly explained the process to me...but I think it involves manipulating the water in your cells. I can only command a little bit of water at a time, but I thought I could find what was buried in your leg and pull it out without hurting the structure of the leg itself."

Axel blinked. "Can you heal the wound?"

Roxas nodded shyly. "I can use a little magic, I think...But I'm not doing this for you!"

"Oh? Then what are you doing it for?"

The blonde pouted slightly, a slight blush to his cheeks. "To see the extent of my power. I've never had much course to test it before."

The captain hummed. "What makes you so sure I will let you? You could cripple me out of spite."

Roxas frowned and gave a shallow eye roll. "I wouldn't be so petty. You humans assume too much, just because your own cannot be trusted."

"And I assume all merfolk can be trusted?"

"Well, no, but..." Roxas stumbled slightly, then growled. "Fine. Point taken. Do you want me to heal you or not?"

The captain chuckled. "If you would, Roxy dear." He smirked at the growl, and shook his leg slightly. "Just the leg, or will you take a look at this too?" He shifted to expose his blood side.

"Both. Now shut up." The graze wound was much easier, but Axel had to grit his teeth every now and again as Roxas's magic stitched up his flesh. That was the only way to describe the feeling, as if the flesh was weaving together and reconnecting. It was hard to see how a simple spell and waving a hand could produce such an effect. But despite his curiosity, Axel dared not interrupt the blonde. Roxas worked with his eyes shut, murmuring softly in what was probably a different language entirely.

When he was finally finished, a knock came at the door. Axel looked up just as the merboy began lowering himself back into the tub, looking a bit weak.

"Give me a minute." The redhead turned back to Roxas, leaning over to feel his forehead. "Are you alright?"

A nod. "Yes. It's draining to use that spell for too long." Panting softly, Roxas smacked the man's hand away from him. "I'll be fine in a moment. Go."

The captain said nothing, moving instead to rise and greet his visitors. Vexen and Marluxia exclaimed in wonder to see that the wounds were now clean and healed, and as he ushered them away, Axel couldn't help but smile.

"I'll come for a check up later. Be gone. Go help with moving the cargo. We have to be out within the hour."


End file.
